15. Now Is Not The Time To Give Up

I saw a post on Facebook last week which proved the validity of my hunch. This person’s post asked for feedback about how her friends and followers were currently feeling, and what I saw was interesting and confirming. According to that post and to my assumptions as of late, many of us are feeling like we are a bit worn out and weary. Like we want to throw our hands up in the air while exclaiming, “I quit! I give up!” To give up on the way the world in right now, on this pandemic, on those who are full of hate and evil. To give up on caring, on trying so hard, on keeping the faith, on looking for the good. Maybe even to give up on dreams, on our goals, on trying to make a difference in this life.

Life isn’t easy right now, is it? We each are walking through unique issues and situations, and some are really burdensome. Some are getting too heavy to carry any longer. And some have completely stopped us in our tracks. Many of us are ready to give up on something or someone. Or we are pondering quitting midstream with something we’re working on or working for. Or we are feeling we just don’t have the strength to take one more step forward. Friend, if this describes you at all, I get it.

Or maybe you’re just sick and tired of being sick and tired. You’re weary with the way of the world is right now, with the way your life is right now. Not to mention this pandemic and its effects, mandates and masks (no matter how you feel about them), supply chain issues, job uncertainties, what’s true and what’s not, divisions, hatred, stress, and hard times.

No wonder we feel like giving up or giving in!

If you’re like me, eighteen months ago I never dreamt we’d still be dealing with this pandemic today. (Remember when we heard it would last for a couple weeks, maybe a month? At least that’s what reports told us initially.) But here we are, still today trying to find our way through it. Some of us doing well navigating it, and some of us are not. Some of us are moving on the best we can despite it all, and some of us just can’t yet, for one reason or another. We each have our ways of dealing with life’s uncertainties and troubles.

But no matter what we’re walking through or experiencing, we can continue to live encouraged. Why? Because we have a God, the God of the Bible, Who is walking through all of it with us. As His followers, He equips us to live encouraged. We discussed this more detail in episodes 13 and 14 of this podcast. Feel free to go back to those and give them a listen. Bottom line: God is the god of encouragement and hope. So, those who love and follow Him are to be people of encouragement and hope.

That’s you and me. We are people of encouragement and hope.

I share a story in the episode that resonated with me regarding this subject of not giving up. You may have heard it before. It’s about a donkey and a farmer. I think it will encourage you!

Friend, now is not the time to give up. God has good plans for your life, and no matter how you feel right now or how grim your circumstances appear, God hasn’t left you. He is with you and will bring good from this season. That’s who He is. Has always been and always will be. Now is not the time to quit. He has encouraging, hope-filled truths you and I can cling to. And I share a few of them I found.

God encourages us not to give up.

And just because it may feel overwhelming or hard right now, that doesn’t mean we are to throw in the towel and give up or quit. It may just be the opposite. God matures us through life’s circumstances if we just persevere and trust Him through them.

You can give up tomorrow, but not today. Then when tomorrow comes, give yourself that same advice.

This is a good spot to share if you’re in a place where you can’t see any hope and you’re questioning your life, you can find a listening ear and a helpful resource at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, or at suicidepreventionlifeline.org. Help and hope are available for you. Please know I am praying for you.

Now is not the time to give up.

God has good plans for our lives. He cares about us and about what we care about. Don’t give up just yet. Your breakthrough may be just around the corner! God bless you!

Links in this episode:

• Episode 13 Help and Hope for Discouraging Days
• Episode 14 Why Is Living Encouraged Such a Big Deal?
• The Farmer and the Donkey story
• 2 Chronicles 5:7 CEV
• 1 Corinthians 15:58 NLT
• Galatians 6:9 MSG
• Episode 7 When Letting Go Is Best but Not Easy
• James 1:2-4 VOICE
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
• Encouragement for Real Life Community Facebook group
• Free Resources at julielefebure.com

Thank you for being here today!